Tuesday, April 27, 2010

ANCHORS AWAY: It's one of the key creation myths in American brewing: Anchor Brewing Company, in the 1960s one of the last few independent breweries and the largest independent brewery on the west coast was on the brink of bankruptcy. Fritz Maytag, heir to the appliance fortune, decided he would rather buy the company than do without.

For forty-five years, he has not only been one of the great pioneers of craft brewing -- openly supportive of countless microbreweries -- he turned Anchor Steam into an icon of San Francisco itself. Brilliant beers and some terrific traditional spirits as well (Old Potrero Rye, Junipero Gin).

After forty-five years, he is selling it off. I don't always buy Anchor Steam, much as I love it. It's so rare that I even think to buy an imported beer anymore, and almost never an imported ale -- there is so much great American beer -- and I have Fritz Maytag to thank for that.
Posted by The Pathetic Earthling at 9:43 AM

2 comments:

  1. Joseph J. Finn5:22 PM

    I had no idea about Maytag's connection to craft brewing, so thanks for highlighting this story!  Now someone get me an Oberon.

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  2. Andrew8:43 PM

    Interesting. I had no idea I was so timely when I picked up some Anchor Steam over the weekend. It is a very nice brew. But this is a great time for American brewing -- just here in Brooklyn, for example, Brooklyn Brewery, Sixpoint, and Kelso are making some very nice beers. 

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